but today council members in el cerrito will consider if they should stop doing it. john sasaki has the debate over the pledge of allegiance. >> reporter: the city council will be meeting million -- will be meeting in just about five minutes here. like always they will start it with the pledge of allegiance. then they will consider whether they should do away with the pledge of allegiance. >> these el cerrito students have grown up with the pledge of allegiance. but at the city council of el cerrito, they will decide if they should do away with it. >> i thought should we modify it, does it serve us or not doing the pledge. >> reporter: mark friedman proposed the idea of doing away with the pledge. the pledge was created for school children in 1892. in saying it you were making a promise to be true to the united states. >> i think they should keep it. it's been in our country for a long time and that's all i have to say. >> i came to the states and i believe in saying the pledge of allegiance when i'm told. whether it's in a classroom or big event. >> reporter: but fr

stations were closed around noon after a package was spotted at el~cerrito dell norta. the object was harmless and service returned to normal. >>> new this morning, the next about tenant to move into the san francisco palace of fine arts could spend up millions to renovate the 90-year-old building. the former home of the exploratorium is now vacant, although a private boys school will lease the space until the summer of 2014. today the san francisco examiner reports the next tenant will be responsible for upgrading the roof, the piling system and drainage and put in an energy generator. it could cost as much as $15 million to $25 million according to sources familiar with that site. an architect durable study showed the is palace built for the 1915 panama exhibition is otherwise in great shape. >>> there's a proposal to replace san francisco's entire network of parking meters by next fall. the city has about 23,000 older meters that accept only coins and muni payment cards. those, plus the newer sf park technology meters, would all be replaced with brand new equipment.

. >>> nobody will be pressured into reciting the pledge of allegiance at el cerrito city council meetings. the council opened with a pledge last night and then voted to change its policy for future meetings. they say they will still say the pledge but those who don't want to do so will be invited to observe a moment of silence instead. >> one of the things that came up in our strategic planning for the city was that limitation of the city is that we always -- we do things because that's the way we've always done them. so i want to make sure if we continue to recite the pledge, it's a conscious decision that it's the best way to start our meetings. >> no members of the public spoke against the proposal to make the pledge optional. >>> leaders of the boy scouts of america will vote today on whether or not to keep its ban on gay members. if approved, a new proposal would allow individual scout troops to decide how they want to handle the issue. some religious leaders criticized the possible change. advocates for gay rights say it's time for the boy scouts to ban discrimination. >>> the milit

i've seen 59 kensington, el cerrito, berkeley, 62. 59 half moon bay, el granada.arm readings, even 56 outer sunset. i saw that as well and also near lake merced. very warm. you can see why. nothing going on now. but next week, might have something to talk about except for sunny and warm. let's hope so. we are running out of time. we need the rain. that offshore breeze, i think will kind of turn itself around maybe saturday. today will be the warmest day. it doesn't look like we're setting any records. it can get warm in february. it will be warm. not superwarm but it will be warm. looks good saturday. increasing clouds on monday. looks like a cold rain on tap for tuesday. >> we always get this teaser in february. >> yeah. >>> an olympic track star has officially been charged with murder. how the tracking incident could soon have a major impact on a huge company. >>> also, it's spring time. fred ingles will join us from arizona as the giants and as get ready for another season. >>> we're live in antioch, where a 14-year-old girl was killed as she was trying to cros

just this year they've received 80 reports of unwanted solicitors in los gatos and monte cerrito. both require city permits to solicit and that solicitors without permits should be reported. >>> a cyber strike against apple. coming up in just five minutes how hackers pulled off the largers attack in the bay area company's history. >> then home values are rising. we're pinpointing the residents where the housing markets are booming. >> right after the break, we'll reveal how an observant hotel employee and a call to police helped rescue young women in trouble. >> the poor victims, they'll be grateful for everybody. >>> a san francisco couple is behind bars tonight for allegedly forcing three women and a teenage girl into prostitution. ktvu's allie rasmus tells us the steep penalties they could face under a new law. >> reporter: police say four young women were held against their will and forced into prostitution. south san francisco police arrested sate jones and maria jimenez both 25 for human trafficking, pimping and pandering. they're accused of pimping a 16- year-old, two 18-ye

or roads near schools >>> another will be pressured into citing the pledge of allegiance at the el cerrito council meetings. they voted to change the 30lecy for future meetings. they will still say the pledge but those who don't want to will be invited to observe a moment of silence instead. they voted to change the policy for future meetings. >> one of the things that came up in our strategic planning for the city was a limitation of the city we do things because that's the way we have always done them. i want to make sure if we continue to recite the pledge it's a conscious decision that it's the best way to start our meetings. >> no members of the public spoke against the proposal to make the pledge optional. >>> contract talks have begun between the city of san jose and the police officers association. after pay and pension cuts. scores of officers have left the city. union wants officer salaries restored to pre-pay cut levels this year along with 3% raises in each of the next two years. >>> san francisco international airport saw its busiest year never 2012. the new numbers show sfo h

longer be automatic that people recite the pledge of allegiance to open city council meetings in el cerrito. the council last night decided to invite those who do not want to say the pledge to observe a moment of silence instead. >> one of the things that came up in our strategic planning for the city was a limitation of the city is that we always -- we do things because that's the way we have always done them. i want to do it because it's a conscious decision that it's the best way to start our meeting with the pledge. >> there were no public comments against the proposal at the meeting. >>> the san jose police officers association has begun new contract talks with city officials. just about all city workers have endured recent pay and pension reductions. as a result, scores of officers have retired or left for police departments in other cities. the oa wants prepay cut levels restored along with 3% raises in each of the next two years. >>> a new passenger record set by san francisco international. sfo reports 44.5 million flyers traveled through the hub last year making it the busiest yea

early this afternoon the del norte bart station in el cerrito was evacuated and closed. the walnut creek bomb squad and a bomb sniffing dog investigated a suspicious item. a bus bridge was established to help passengers who could not access the station while the investigation was underway. >> it was an item, a suspicious item that was not an explosive material. the station was reopened by 2:3o this afternoon when it was clear the item was not dangerous. >> if you're not a hard core football fan, you're likely more excited about beyonce's super bowl half-time show, and the commericials. you're in luck. our tech reporetd gabe slate scoured the inter-web.and gives us a sneak peak at some of the tomorrow's super bowl commercials. for over 60,000 california foster children, nights can feel long and lonely. i miss my sister. i miss my old school. i miss my room. i don't want special treatment. i just wanna feel normal. to help, sleep train is collecting pajamas for foster children, big and small. bring your gift to any sleep train, and help make a foster child's night a little

bart tells us that the suspicious object was spotted on the tracks at the el cerrito -- del norte stationthe walnut creek police bomb squad was called to check it out. bart shut down both the del norte location and the richmond stations a precaution. >> item, the suspicious item that is not explosive material. >> bart re-opened those stations at about 2:30 this afternoon. >>> a fatality shooting at the a popular east bay street festival, how organizers are responding tonight in the wake of the velocity. >>> and turkish authorities now looking at surveillance video of an american tourist hoping to find out why she was killed. >>> a bay area neighborhood is in shock after the body of a teenager is found at a park. what we are learning about the young victim's life. s are . >>> in a meter of seconds this south bay power-plant long san diego bay came crumbling down this morning. crews use more than 300 pop ups of dynamite to implode the structure which dated back to the 1950's. once the rubble and debris is cleared the site will be the new home of a public park. plant was shut down three year

marin county, berkeley kensington, el cerrito back over towards oakland and san francisco as well.here is not a lot in advance of this but it is beginning to pick up in mendocino county as well. a very brisk day and mendocino has had issues with their thermometers and that's why they are not reporting. right there, you are seeing a lot of low snow levels and the winter weather advisory is taking us from low snow levels here, cold rain upper 50s on the temperatures and it will not get much warmer. rain will decrease only about a quarter of an inch, cool breezy pattern will take us to the weekend. >>> there are new signs on battery, they found a problem with the secondary battery problem which was forced to make an emergency landing last month. the battery has slight signs of swelling in two of the batteries 8 cells. office depot appears to be in serious talks to emerge with office max, both companies are boosting profitability. they are increasing leverage with suppliers and they are already competing with stables which is the biggest office supply company and now there is more comi

>> right now traffic is busier in vallejo and also in richmond on the way to el cerrito. you can see it is on the way to the bay bridge toll plaza and it looks like those metering lights are going on. once you make it on to the bridge it does look okay. there are no major problems if you drive across the san mateo or the dumbarton. highway 4 is still looking good as you drive between 680 -- 680 and 80. >>> it will get chewed up and there is a slight on shore component and there is still an easterly breeze in place. yesterday 63 and with the addition of low clouds and fog today we will push for 50. we will start 46 and 57 by noon and 59 later on. no doubt about it, it will be cooler but nothing that screams rain. our system that did bring our last rain on friday has moved into texas and the panhandle. look at the severe weather in oklahoma city and snow on the backside of the area towards wichita. our system has picked up a lot of strength. 30s and 40s we have some cold readings inland and a half moon bay is 47 and i have seen 34 near embarcadero. there is more of a wester

fritz is accused of taking part in a home invasion robbery in monte cerrito. fritz did not enter a plea and a judge did not grant her bail. she is expected back in court on thursday. >>> the bomb squad was called to an oakland courthouse today because of a suspicious package there. it was a backpack and it was reported in the tunnel area of the rene seed davidson courthouse about 9:45 this morning. the bomb squad remotely opened the backpack and found tools inside. a man later told police that it was his backpack and he put it there because he knew he could not get it past the metal detectors. >>> jason pedrosa was charged on wednesday. investigators say he sexually assaulted at least two underaged girls in walnut creek last fall and that there could be even more victims. pedroza was an actor, he also worked at a ballet school. no word yet on how he knew the victims. >>> we have new information tonight about that crane that  collapsed yesterday underneath the new eastern span of the bay bridge. our consumer editor tom vacar is live on treasure island with wh

. >>> el cerrito city council will continue with a pledge of allegiance prior to its meetings but has for those who do not wish to recite the pledge of allegiance. >>> and a camel named rudy will get a check-up with a vet today. he had a busy night. it may have been a minivan that hit him after he escaped last night on bailey road in concord. cowboys rounded him up. rudy will get a check-up today. traffic and weather coming right up. ooh kfc. hey, you're supposed to wait for everybody. you know what, while we're waiting why don't we play a game of hide and seek? right now? yeah go hide. go on buddy. one, two... [ son ] come and find me! three! [ son ] are you even looking for me? i am looking! [ male announcer ] bite-sized chicken's grown up. kfc bites. freshly hand-breaded big bites of premium breast meat seasoned in the colonel's original recipe. try 10 bites with an 8 piece meal for $19.99. [ son ] dad? [ male announcer ] today tastes so good. >>> good morning. still slow coming through sunol so a slight location change for the stalled out big rig we were watching. it is in southbo

. >>> richmond and el~cerrito bart -- >> coming up next a a controversial photo as president obama prepareso start his campaign for new gun control measures. and a dramatic beach rescue in the north bay and the good samaritans who helped save a >> the white house has release add photo of president obama skeet shooting. the image puts to rest skeptics questions about whether the president has ever even fired a gun. it shows him shooting clay pigeons at camp david last august. the national rifle association is not impressed. they said one picture does not erase a lifetime of supporting every gun ban and gun control measure imaginable. >>> today at 8:00 george stephanopoulos goes one-on-one with the most powerful man in the senate. senate majority leader harry reid of nevada is the guest on abc's "this week." no question is off-limits as they tackle gun control and immigration. don't miss "this week" with george coming up here on abc7. >>> a group of good samaritans helped save the life of a man struggling in the surf. it happened at stinson beach yesterday afternoon. abc7 news reporter sergio